proverb · Words worth keeping
A man may hold his tongue in an ill time.
A man may hold his tongue in an ill time.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A person can choose silence when speaking would be poorly timed or unhelpful. The saying invites judgment about an occasion rather than a permanent duty to remain quiet.
What the words are saying
Holding the tongue makes restraint an action available in a difficult moment. It can be useful when anger would produce words that obscure the actual issue. Silence may also permit harm or leave a necessary concern unheard. A careful application asks what speech would accomplish, what risks are real and whether a better time or form is available, without treating the powerful person’s comfort as decisive.
Everyday example
Someone pauses during a heated exchange and returns to the concern later with clear reasons.
When to use it
Use it to consider timing and purpose before speaking.
What it does not mean
Silence is not always wise, especially when safety or accountability requires a voice.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1632 · Tongue
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English